Carson, Calif. (August 14, 2008) – The USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships kicked off on Thursday with four national championship titles awarded in men’s and women’s 17-18 events during the morning and evening sessions.
The first stars-and-stripes jersey of the day was earned during the morning session when Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa./Kutztown Inn-Bicycling) posted a time of 37.701 to take the gold in the junior women’s 17-18 500-meter time trial. Hayduk was followed by silver medalist Shelby Reynolds (Cypress, Texas/Sugar Cycles) and bronze medalist Colleen Gulick (Spring City, Pa./Colavita Racing) while Mary Costelloe (Emmaus, Pa./South Mountain Cycles) and Elspeth Huyett (Alburtus, Pa./Young Medalists) rounded out the podium in fourth and fifth.
The Junior World Championships bronze medalist then continued her winning ways in the afternoon with a victory over second-place finisher Elspeth Huyett in the women’s 17-18 scratch race. Nina Santiago (Dover, N.J./High Gear-Watchung) earned the bronze medal while Costelloe and Gullick finished fourth and fifth.
“I was a little nervous going in,” Hayduk said after taking her second title of the day. “After getting third at Junior Worlds, I felt a lot of pressure. I just had to race it like it was my race. I knew I had a big target on my back so I tried to conserve.”
In men’s 17-18 competition, 17-year-old Kit Karzen (Beverly Hills, Calif.) lapped the field once and won the final sprint to earn 23 points and take the national title in the men’s 17-18 points race. His win was over silver medalist Michael Niemi (Gainesville, Fla.) with 16 points and bronze medalist Zack Stein (St. Charles, Mo.) with 12. Rounding out fourth and fifth places were Kyle Foley (Wallingford, Conn.) and Jacob Rathe (Portland, Ore.) with 12 and 11 points respectively.
“Going into it, I thought I had pretty good chances,” explained the new national champ. “The competition was really good this year so I had to be on top of it tactic wise and conserve as much as I could.”
Later in the afternoon, Karzen won another medal with a bronze in the men’s 17-18 keirin. This time, it was Epes Harris (Macungie, Pa./JFF) to capture the national title while Daniel Walker (Houston, Texas/Northwest Cycling Club) claimed the silver medal. Fourth and fifth places went to Tynan Farley (Pittstown, N.J./Young Medalists) and Morgan Ryan (Ventura, Calif./Major Motion)
Also on tap Thursday were several events that factor into the overall omniums for the 10-12, 13-14, and 15-16 age categories.
In the Junior Women’s 10-12 500-meter time trial, Jacqueline Chen (San Marino, Calif./Home Depot Center) took the win with a time of 45.464 while Eduardo Lopez (El Paso, Texas/Major Motion) posted the fastest time among junior men 10-12, completing the 500 meters in 42.249. In the 13-14 age group, Sarah Chen (San Marino, Calif./Home Depot Center) completed the 500 meters in 40.008 to earn the gold medal while Benjamin Cockrell (Houston, Texas/Spin Cycle) posted 37.761 for the fastest race against the clock among junior men 13-14.
Not surprisingly, Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif.) also scored a victory on Thursday in the women's 15-16 sprint. After setting the national record for women 15-16 in the 200 meter sprint qualification round with a time of 12.852, Rivera breezed through the preliminary rounds. In the finals, she bested silver medalist Shelbe Eck (Kutztown, Pa.) while Erin Popvich (Plano, Texas) beat out Christine Barron (Los Angeles, Calif.) in the race for bronze.
In the junior men’s 15-16 sprint, Benny Swedeberg (Kent, Wash.) posted the fastest time in the 200-meter qualification round and then went on to beat out Chazz Martin (Wilmette, Ill.) in the finals for the gold medal. Matthew Baranoski (Perkasie, Pa.) won the race for bronze.
The USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships continue through Sunday. For complete results from the event, click here.
2008 USA Cycling Junior Track National Championships
ADT Event Center Velodrome - Carson, Calif.
August 14-18, 2008
Junior Men’s 17-18 25 km Points Race
1. Kit Karzen (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
2. Michael Niemi (Gainesville, Fla.)
3. Zack Stein (St. Charles, Mo.)
4. Kyle Foley (Wallingford, Conn.)
5. Jacob Rathe (Portland, Ore.)
Junior Women’s 17-18 7.5 km Scratch Race
1. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa.)
2. Elspeth Huyett (Alburtus, Pa.)
3. Nina Santiago (Dover, N.J.)
4. Mary Costelloe (Emmaus, Pa.)
5. Colleen Gullick (Spring City, Pa.)
Junior Men’s 17-18 Keirin
1. Epes Harris (Macungie, Pa.)
2. Daniel Walker (Houston, Texas)
3. Kit Karzen (Beverly Hills, Calif.)
4. Tynan Farley (Pittstown, NJ)
5. Morgan Ryan (Ventura, Calif.)
Junior Women’s 17-18 500-Meter Time Trial
1. Colleen Hayduk (Kutztown, Pa.)
2. Shelby Reynolds (Cypress, Texas)
3. Colleen Gulick (Spring City, Pa.)
4. Mary Costelloe (Emmaus, Pa.)
5. Elspeth Huyett (Alburtus, Pa.)
Men’s 15-16 Sprint
1. Benny Swedeberg (Kent, Wash.)
2. Chazz Martin (Wilmette, Ill.)
3. Matthew Baranoski (Perkasie, Pa.)
Women's 15-16 Sprint
1. Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif.)
2. Shelbe Ecke (Kutztown, Pa.)
3. Erin Popovich (Plano, Texas)
Junior Women’s 10-12 500-Meter Time Trial
1. Jacqueline Chen (San Marino, Calif.)
2. Marielena Banuelos (El Paso, Texas)
3. Claire Jensen (Los Altos, Calif.)
Junior Men’s 10-12 500-Meter Time Trial
1. Eduardo Lopez (El Paso, Texas)
2. Dylan Drummond (Walnut Creek, Calif.)
3. Erick Madis (Hudson, Ohio)
Junior Women’s 13-14 500-Meter Time Trial
1. Sarah Chen (San Marino, Calif.)
2. Tara McCormick (Long Beach, Calif.)
3. Kaitlyn Lawrence (Emmaus, Pa.)
Junior Men’s 13-14 500-Meter Time Trial
1. Benjamin Cockrell (Houston, Texas)
2. Bobby Unverzagt (Torrance, Calif.)
3. Eric Volotzky (Chatsworth, Calif.)
